Stranded in Tamil Nadu, patients from other states struggle to pay lodge rent

The Vellore district administration had originally promised patients from other states that it would pay rent at the lodges where they had been put up.
Stranded in Tamil Nadu, patients from other states struggle to pay lodge rent
Stranded in Tamil Nadu, patients from other states struggle to pay lodge rent
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Thousands of people from other states, who came to receive treatment at the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, Tamil Nadu are now stranded after the district administration went back on its promise to pay rent for lodging.

The Vellore district administration had promised patients from other states that it would pay rent at the lodges where they had been put up. This includes migrant labourers who have now been forced to vacate their place of stay or cough up ‘at least half the rent amount immediately.’

A notice by the district administration dated March 31 had said, “All lodge owners are strictly instructed not to collect any money for stay and food from the inmates of the other states who are undergoing medical treatment at CMC, Vellore till April 14. The full expenditure towards boarding and lodging has to be borne by Tamil Nadu government.”

In the fresh notice, however, the district administration has backtracked.

According to the new notice accessed by TNM, the lodge owners need to discount 25 percent of the rental charges from April 1 till the date of checking out. 25 percent of the charge would be borne by the district administration and the rest 50 percent is to be borne by the migrants and patients from other states.

With the lockdown already having taken a toll on the patients and their families, the new order has come as a blow. Having already exhausted their money for treatment purposes, they have been left without a place to go.

Speaking to TNM, Arti from Jharkhand, who came with her father for his treatment at CMC Vellore said, “I am staying in Vellore since March 11 and I have to pay a rent of Rs 325 per day. Though the treatment got completed on March 28, I am unable to go back because of the lockdown. They expect us to pay the rent, but how can we pay? Either the government needs to do something to send us back or waive the rent.”

According to figures released by the district administration, 9,911 persons who came for treatment and 1,111 migrant labourers are held up in Vellore. “When the lockdown was extended, we thought the rent for the rest of the days would also be waived off,” said Arti.

Adding to pleas to waive the rent amount, Yuvraj from Ranchi said, “After April 14, there have been fights with my lodge owner. Since we couldn’t pay the rent, we are unable to even get a can of water. They are taunting us that we have money for mineral water but not to pay rent. There was pushing and shoving in the morning and they were telling us to leave. We haven't been able to eat since morning and I haven't been able to feed my kids,” added Yuvraj, who came to Vellore along with his family for his 9-year-old son’s treatment.

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